Mechanical foot-cleaner or door-mat.



No. 732,373. VYPATENTBD JUNE 30, 1903.

A. PREUSS & F, JANSSON. MECHANICAL FOOT CLEANER 0139003 MAT.

APPLICATION IILBD NOV. 6, 1902.

N0 MODEL ".3 Haw l imuilll Patented June 30, 1903.

* llwirnn STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ANDREWPREUSS AND FREDERICK JANSSON, CF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEC HANlCAL FOOT-CLEANER OR DQOR-MAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,373, dated June 30, 1903.

Application ant November 6, 1902. 8erislllo.130,234- (to model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that we, ANDREW Passes and FREDERICK JANSSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois,have invented a new and useful Mechanical Foot-Cleaner or Door- Mat, of which the following is a specification.

Cur invention consists of a mechanical footcleaner or door-mat having brushes which are automatically operated to clean the feet as a person walks across the mat.

Our primary object is to provide a mechanical foot-cleaner of simple and inexpensive construction capable of performing efficiently the work mentioned. I

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved doormat having automatic brushes; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a view in side elevation, and Fig. 4- a cross-sectional view taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 1.

in the form shown the device comprises a.

rectangular frame A, having vertical sides and ends forming a low casing provided with inner corner members 0., attached to the sides and having their upper outer portions cut away to afford slots co and shoulders at; a yieldingly-supported open-work frame or foot-plate B having end members b-moving V in the slots on and longitudinal slats or bars I) connecting said end members; a series of shafts C, journaled in bearings C,with which the side members of the frame A are provided; pinions C on said shafts; brushes C on said shafts and located within and beneath the spaces between the bars I); gear-segments D, meshing with the pinions C and supported upon pivots D, projecting inwardly from the side members of the frame A; links D connected at their upper ends by pivotal screws (1 with the two outer slats b5 and connected at their lower ends by pivotal screws d with the short arms cl of the gear-segmentsl); crossbars E,.suppo'rted on the shoulders or, and springs E, supported by the bars E and hearing the frame B.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the inner end margins of the members I) of the frame B bear against the inner walls of the slots (1', so that longitudinal play of the frame B is prevented.

The members I) are equipped at their extremities with wheelsf, which engagethe inner surfaces of the side member of the frame A to prevent undesirable lateral play of the frame B. We have shown one lateral margin of the mechanical foot-cleaner equipped with a covering plate or board g,which conceals the pinions and gear-segments located beneath it. The opposite side of the device may be similarly provided, if desired. As shown, how

. ever, this plateis omitted at one side and the upper central portion of said side is cut away at h to facilitate stepping upon the mat, the particular purpose being to prevent the heels from being caught by the side plate as the frame B is depressed under the weight of the person stepping upon the mat. In the construction shown we have omitted the pinions and gear-segments from the ends of the two intermediate shafts C adjacent to the cutaway point h.' V

In use the matis placed before a door, with .the cut-away side out, and a person walking across the same, preferably transversely of the slats b, will cause the frame B to be depressed, thereby swinging the gearsectors D and rotating the brushes.

The weight of the person crossing the mat depresses the frame B beneath the level of the upper portions of V the brushes, and the rotating brushes operate to clean the persons shoes. As the weight upon the frame 13 is momentarily relieved as the foot is being raised, the frame is restored or partially restored to its normal position, thereby reversing the direction of movement of the brushes. p i

Each of the slate of the yielding grate or foot-plate is provided with a series of downward projections It, which aid in keeping the brush-sections in their proper spaces, thereby preventing them from becoming injured. The brushes are of any suitable material and are formed independently of the square shafts upon which they are fixed. It will be ob served that when either lateral edge of the foot-plate is depressed at least two of the brushshafts are caused to rotate, thereby drawing the other lateral edge downwardly, so that the foot-plate settles down in a practically parallel movement.

It will be understood that various changes yieldingly-supported open-work foot-plate located abovesaid cleaning devices, and actuating means for said cleaning devices connected with said foot-plate, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, 1

the combination of a stationary frame, rotary brushes supported thereon, a yieldingly-supported foot-plate above said brushes, and

means connected with and moved by said,

foot-plate for actuating said brushes,-for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stationary frame, rotary brushes supported thereon and equipped with pinions,a movable open-work foot-plate above said brushes, springs supporting said footplate, gear-segments pivotally supported on saidframe and meshing with said pinions, and links connecting said gear-segments with said foot-plate, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stationary frame, rotary brushes journaled in said frame a distance below the u pper surface thereof, aspring-supported open-work foot-plate within said frame above said brushes, and actuating meansfor said brushes connected with said foot-plate, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stationary frame, a spring-supported foot-plate comprising suitably-connected slats separated by spaces,

shafts equipped withbrushes located within and beneath the spaces between said slats, and brush-operating means connected with said foot-plate, for the purposeset forth.

6. In a device of the character descr bed, the combination of a stationary fra e, a

plurality of transversely-extending r tary said frame having a portion terminating below said foot-plate, whereby the foot is prevented from striking against the frame when the foot-plate is depressed, for the purpose set forth.

ANDREW PREUSS. FRED. J ANSSON. In presence of-- A. (3. KITTLESON. ALBERT D. BACOI. 

